Until The End
by HowCouldThisHappenToMe
Summary: Attend the tale of Sweeney Todd? No. Attend the tale of William Nazar, also known as Lucy Barker. She did not, in fact, take poison and she wants revenge for what Judge Turpin has done to her husband. AU


**I've started writing a new story for Sweeney Todd, because my school is putting it on as our Spring Musical and I got to thinking of a lot of "What If" scenarios. My favorite was "What if Lucy didn't take poison? How would the story change?" When I brought this up to a friend, she answered "The musical would be a romance, that's what." And while that's a possibility, I decided to take a much darker approach. So, I ask you, what if Lucy didn't take poison? What if, instead, she took up the razor? With this story, I hope to answer these questions fittingly. **

**Now, I'm nowhere NEAR complete with this story and have only written the prologue so far, but I wanted to give my fans, as well as fans of Sweeney Todd fanfictions, a sneak peak at what I've been planning. So, I hope you enjoy the story, and please let me know what you think of the prologue.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Sweeney Todd or any of the characters in it.**

* * *

><p><strong>Prologue<strong>

A heavy fog hung in the air after the day's thunderstorm, leaving the visibility on Fleet Street near impossible. A feeling of dread hung as heavily as the fog, for within a tonsorial parlor on the corner of Fleet Street, a woman was sobbing. A child rested in her arms as the tears fell from her eyes. The woman's name was Lucy Barker, and her husband had been sent away to prison only the day before, to Botany Bay for life. The daughter in Lucy's arms slept easily, blissfully unaware of the injustice that had taken place. The child's father was no criminal, a fact which Lucy knew very well. Benjamin Barker was a kind man without a hot temper. He was a loving, faithful husband and a doting father to their little Johanna. But now he was gone, sent away for a crime he did not commit.

As Lucy sat in the rocking chair in the corner of the parlor, where she'd so often sat to see Benjamin at work, she let one hand slide into the folds of her dress to carefully hold the silver handle of one of Benjamin's razors. It was beautifully crafted, as she well knew. Engraved into the silver handle was the image of a woman carrying an unborn child, with long flowing hair to give definition. Lucy could remember confusing the image with that of Aphrodite, Greek goddess of beauty, upon first laying eyes on the razor. Benjamin had always been a fine artist of the blade. Among the best in London, he was. A sad smile came to Lucy's face as she remembered her husband, only to disappear at the sound of knocking at the door. Lucy slipped the razor back into the folds of her skirt as she stood to answer the door, Johanna still in her arms. She found Beadle Bamford to be the one calling upon her.

"Beadle Bamford? To what do I owe this visit?" Lucy inquired, removing all bitterness from her voice. The last time the beadle had knocked on her door, he'd had his men arrest her husband.

"I have news from Judge Turpin. He is very contrite over what has happened. He blames himself for your dreadful plight You must come straight to his house tonight and he can sort everything out there," Beadle Bamford explained. Lucy glanced away momentarily, her eyes falling on her daughter. She would do anything to bring Benjamin back. Perhaps speaking to the judge could help. She looked confidently back to the beadle with a firm nod.

"Yes, I shall. Just permit me to bring my daughter downstairs. I should like to ask Mrs. Lovett to care for her while I'm gone."

"Of course, madam."

Lucy hurried down the stairs from the tonsorial parlor to Mrs. Lovett's meat pie shop below. Nellie Lovett glanced up from the pies she was preparing at the sound of the door opening. Her grin at the prospect of a customer quickly vanished when she saw it was merely Lucy with Beadle Bamford with her.

"Good evenin', Lucy. An' the same to you, Beadle Bamford," Mrs. Lovett greeted.

"Mrs. Lovett, I've been called to speak with Judge Turpin about Benjamin. I'm sorry to be a burden, but could you take care of Johanna while I'm gone. I should only be a few hours," Lucy requested.

"Of course, dearie. You just leave 'er 'ere with me, an' I'll take good care of pretty little Johanna."

"Oh, thank you, Nellie." Lucy handed her daughter to the pie maker and quickly departed with the beadle.

Upon entering Judge Turpin's home, Lucy soon became lost in a forest of brightly-dressed people and oddly shaped masks. She wondered whatever reason the judged had held a ball, even though he'd wished to speak with her. Beadle Bamford disappeared from her side, leaving her completely alone as she wandered through the dancers.

"Where is Judge Turpin?" she asked aloud. A half-hour later, Lucy was approached by two men. One was Beadle Bamford, but the other was wearing a mask.

"Come here," the beadle growled darkly as he grabbed her arm. He began pulling her towards the ground while the other man removed his mask, revealing himself to be Judge Turpin. The judge removed his trousers, sporting a too-proud arousal, and fury swept through Lucy's veins as she quickly understood what was happening here.

"Unhand me!" she screamed as she reached into the folds of her skirt.

In one quick motion, she opened the razor in her hand and sliced open the beadle's throat. Blood poured down the column of his neck as he fell to the floor with a garbled gasp. All motion in the room stopped and all attention was focused on Lucy as she turned to the judge. The razor in her hand was still dripping precious rubies on the cream colored rug. Judge Turpin's eyes were wide with disbelieve as Lucy stared at him with cold malice.

"Now, my dear Lucy," the judge began, "I am ever so contrite about what has happened to-"

"Judge Turpin, you and your beadle have been pining for me for some time, and now my husband is transported to Botany Bay for life. Somehow, I doubt you feel any remorse on the matter." She took a step towards him, bringing the razor down on his arousal as she did. Judge Turpin fell to his knees with a pained cry and Lucy placed the bloody razor at his throat. "I will kill any man who had a hand in my husband's arrest until the day he is returned to me."

She applied pressure to the blade; just enough to break the skin and leave a trail of red rivulets sliding down his throat. Before any protest could be made, Lucy was gone and the guests of the party could only stand in shock and rush to the aid of Judge Turpin as the young blond woman ran out of the house as quickly as she could, returning to her husband's tonsorial parlor. Mrs. Lovett jumped when Lucy burst through the door, panting heavily and carrying a bloody blade.

"Good God! Wot's 'appened to you?" Mrs. Lovett demanded.

"I have to leave immediately. Give me Johanna. I'm taking her with me."

"Now, wait a minute."

"There's no time to waste. I must leave tonight. I can never return to London."

Lucy quickly scrambled around the room, gathering bags to pack what few belongings she could bring with her. She would need to start a new life, under a new name. If she wanted any chance of bringing her husband back to her, Lucy knew she couldn't be caught by Judge Turpin or his men. Her shaking hands found one of her husband's old shirts and she stopped for a moment. With ideas running frantically through her mind, she packed a few of Benjamin's shirts and trousers along with supplies to care for Johanna and as much money as was kept in their home.

"Wot'll you do, Lucy?" Mrs. Lovett asked as the blond woman took her daughter in her arms and headed for the door. Lucy looked over her shoulder, an eerily calm look in her eyes.

"I'm going to bring my husband home to me. Goodbye, Mrs. Lovett, and thank you for all you've done for my family." With those parting words, Lucy left the tonsorial parlor and began on her way out of London.

* * *

><p>"That's a good lookin' babe ya got there," an older man by the name of Jasper Neil commented to the newcomer to his tonsorial parlor shop. The new lad must have been a young father looking to apprentice with him to support the child, he figured. What other explanation could there be?<p>

"Thank you," the lad said, adjusting the bundle in his arms. His voice was higher than most, and Jasper figured the boy barely had enough in him to produce a child. Sounded almost like a woman, he did.

"You lookin' for a job, I suppose?"

"I want to learn to become a barber, yes."

Jasper shrugged. "Fine. I'll see what I can do with ya. What's yer name, lad?"

Lucy looked up from behind the cap she wore to cover her hair, which she had cut away most of on the trip to Plymouth. She'd come to this parlor upon seeing the sign looking for an apprentice, and she knew this was her chance to learn to pass for a proper barber while she worked to bring her husband home. With a confident smile on her lips, Lucy stared into the eyes of Mr. Neil, knowing she'd led him to believe she was a man.

"Benjamin," she answered. "My name is Benjamin Barker."

* * *

><p><strong>Please R&amp;R.<strong>


End file.
